1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to biometrics, and more particularly, to a method, system, and program product using brain shape as a biometric.
2. Background Art
The use of biometric data to identify individuals is known. Fingerprints, for example, have been used for over a century to identify and distinguish individuals. More recently, biometric data have been included in computerized databases, making such identifications quicker and, in general, more reliable.
The breadth of biometric data currently used in the identification of individuals has increased dramatically in recent years. Systems designed to identify individuals based on facial images, iris images, and other physical characteristics are now routinely used to limit access to secure locations and to identify individuals.
For example, biometric data associated with persons authorized to access to a secure location may be stored in a database and linked to an access point. All persons wishing to enter the secure area must submit to a collection of biometric data at the access point, which is then compared to the database of biometric data associated with individuals authorized to access the secure location. If the collected biometric data do not match biometric data within the database, the individual is denied access to the secure location.
Similarly, a database may be compiled of biometric data associated with individuals who are being sought or tracked by a law enforcement agency. For example, a database of facial images of known criminals or terrorists may be linked to a system designed to capture facial images of individuals in public spaces, such as shopping centers and airports. In the event that a facial image is captured by such a system and matches an image in a database containing facial images of known criminals or terrorists, a law enforcement agency may choose to apprehend or monitor the individual whose facial image was captured.
A significant shortcoming of most known biometric systems, however, is that they rely on physical features that may be altered. Such alteration may be made with the intent of mimicking the biometric of another individual (e.g., someone who has been authorized to access a secure area) or of avoiding identification (i.e., obscuring one's own biometric to avoid it being matched to a biometric in a biometric database). For example, facial features may be easily altered by plastic surgery or obscured with a mask or prosthetic device. Iris images may be counterfeited with contact lenses or obscured with contact lenses or glasses. Even fingerprints may be counterfeited and are easily obscured by gloves.
To this extent, a need exists for methods and systems for identifying an individual that do not suffer from the defects above.